The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-25
A Heavily-Veiled Woman. Claiming to Come
from Fort Worth. Alights at the Station,
Inquiries for Trunk. and Disappears.
The Trunk Arrives In Due Time, but the
Young Woman Has Not Claimed 1t.
Sheriff Vangundy's Reply to Governor Gray's
Letter of Censure-A Mob Said to Have
Been Organized to Lynch Bill Green.
DELPHps SENSATION.

Mysterious Woman and Her Sudden Dis
appearance-sheriff vansundy's Letter.
speciaI to tho lndianapoIs Journa..
DELPHI. Ind, Oct 24-The most intense SEN
saton was created here. this evening, when the
report was circulated that Luela Mabbitt had
arrived in the city from Fort Worth, Texas
The rumor was investigated, with the followin &
result: Saturday night young woman. heavily
veied, slighted from the east-bound Wabash
train. and. going to the baeeage-room asked if
her trunk had arrived. She stated that she
checked ir at Fort Worth, Texas, when she
took the train. The trunk was not at the depot
and she left, and has not since been seen. Her
disappearance was sudden and mysterious as
her arrival. The Mabb:tts and their
neighbors deny that any woman answering this
description has arrived there within the last
three days. Your correspondent has searched
the town and country and found no clew to her
whereabouts or identity. Her trunk came few
hours after her arrival 1t is heavily roped and
securely locked. and there are scores Of people
here to-day who would pay almost any sum
could they lift lid and ascertain its contents
The arrival of this woman and her trunk set all
sorts of rumor afoat, and hundreds of people
focked in from the country this afternoon Time
alone can tell what there is this Ninety nine
people out of one hundred believe Luella Mabbitt
dead.
The letter which Governor Gray pretends to
have sent Sheriff Vangundy has never arrived,
and it is the general impression it never
sent His structures on Judge Gould and the
sheriff were entirely unjustifsd. Sheriff Van
gundy has written a letter to Governor Gray,
which he has given the press. as follows:
DELPHI Ind. Oct. "a, 1887.
ITO Hon. I. p. Gray, Governor of Indiana:
'Dear Sir-I have observed your letter of the
22nd inst. addressed to me- in the press of yes
terday. bat have not received it. You will
pardon me for respectfully suggesting few
corrections concerning your statement of the
facts. Neither the judge OF the court nor my,
whatever that means, to lynch the prisoner at
Logansport 1t is perhaps true that there was
ridiculous display Of military force around the
jail at Logansport but no one. SO far as can
learn. ever heard of the mob. and therefore
could not know of the aforesaid Threatened at
Tempt and, surrounded by the circum-
stances that surrounded me, there
was absolutely nothing to suggest
that mob violence would be resorted to The
scene Of the alleged murder of Luela Mabbltt
was on the borders of Cass and Carol, counties.
some fifteen miles distant from Delphi The
prisoner was brought to this county by Sheriff
Stanley on Wednesday last While there was
some curiosity eviIced to the prisoner, yet
there was absolutely no excitement here, and
during the three days of Amer Green's confine-
ment in our jail, not man from the Mabbitt
neigh borhood was in Delphi, except
William Mabbitt. himself, who in the
city about one hour on Thursday even
ing. Green had walked from the Jail TO
the courtroom, a distance OF two squares. and
returned again. on two different days Many
citizens had called and conversed with him at
the Jail. On Friday evening Green said that
one had spoken an unkind word to him. and that
he had no apprehension OF a mob. One of his
attorneys, who resides at Logansport, and
within six miles of the Mabbitt neighborhood.
and wko was in Delphi on Thursday, stated that
he entertained fear OF mob, and did not
even suggest that any extra precautions should
be taken to protect his client The judge.
after court informed me that could have, at
deputies as thought necessary. / had three
deputies on duty all the time believing that
the circumstances which surrounded me did not
justify the expense Of more. Not single per-
son with whom I talked had the remotest appre-
henson of trouble. But you assume that the
facts required that should have taken other
sion of such facts why did not you communicate
them to mea 1t was your duty to do so. The
same obligation rests upon you as upon me- nay.
more. You are the commander-iu chief of the
military forces Of the State, and, with the facts
which you assume were before you, let me re-
spectfully ask why you did not call out the mill
tary companies at this place to aid me in SUD-
pressing the mob2 With the force had l was
powerless to protect the prisoner.
II earnestly join you in deploring the exist
ence OF mob violence, which is rapidly bringing
rule, the people of Carroll county quiet, law
abiding citizens. and they condemn the terrible
tragedy which occurred in our midst; and, rest
assured, my dear Governor, we will do all that
can be done under the law to bring the guilty
parties to justice. But the responsibility for
the existence of the methods of the mob do not
rest alone upon the good or bad people of the
State. From the best information obtainable
this mob was composed of men living on the
borders of Cass, Howard and Carroll counties
That neghborhood has been infested with
"a n
time ago this gang, Familiarity known as
the Jap Choen gang, was broken ur. The lead
er and other members of the gang were con-
victed. after much expense. and sent to the
State prison, and those who were unconvicted.
seeing the fate of their leader, fled the State
Ontrages upon peaceable citizens ceased, and
men, women and children slept in conscious
security. But on evil day, without the rec
ommendation of the judge. the prosecuting
attorney, or the jury that tried him. and in vio-
lation, am told, of the rules of your predeces-
sors, you pardoned the leader of this lawless
gang. Upon his return also cam the other out
laws who had fed, and again there was the former
insecurity for life and property. Then IL was
that a vigilance committee was formed among
the best citizens for sef-protection. But wheth-
er any of the members Of this committee were
engaged in the lyncning of Green l am unable
to Say. People draw their own infereuces.
Now, am plain man. and as YOU see fit to
give me lecture concerning my duties, perhaps
it would not be Inappropriate for me- to ask you,
with due respect if you consider your own Off
cial skirts entirely clearl Courts and jures
discharge their duties convict notorious crimi-
nails. giving security to the humble firesides of
the land. and all this labor and expense go for
naught when the Governor of this noble State,
with one stroke of the same pen with which he
presumas to lecture others concerning tn cir du-
ties undoes the good work. In conclusion. my
dear Governor, will state that. from the facts
within my knowledge, l am conscious of having
performed my whole duty.
VERY respectfully.
NELSON w. VANGUNDY."
Ths coroner conducted his examination at
Flora. on Saturday, and to-day came to this
city to continue it. This is the first he has
ever handled. and he is doing 1T in a very crude
way. Unless he wakes up and cuts loose he will
never ascertain who hanged Amer Green. a
special grand jury has been summoned, to con-
Wednesday. and Judge Gould states
that if labor and expense will bring the high
handed volators of law to justice, they will all
be exposed aud punished. The developments of
the next few days will be watched with in